LeBron James Takes $3 Million Less To Keep Lakers Under 2nd Apron; Gary Trent Jr., Spencer Dinwiddie 2 Names To Watch

According to NBA insiders Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic, LeBron James is taking $3 million less in his new deal to keep the Los Angeles Lakers under the second apron. 

Gary Trent Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie are two names to watch for if the Lakers clear enough space to use their taxpayer midlevel exception.

“LeBron James is taking a nearly $3 million discount to keep the Los Angeles Lakers under the dreaded second apron. James is signing a two-year, $101.355 million deal instead of the two-year, $104 million maximum he could’ve re-signed for, according to league sources,” Charania and Buha reported. “Along with his player option and a no-trade clause, James’ contract also includes a 15 percent trade kicker, those sources said.

“James’ new contract puts the Lakers at just under the $188.9 million second apron. If the Lakers can salary dump a couple of their veteran minimum contracts — attaching a second-round pick to entice a trade partner — they’d create two roster spots and the flexibility to use the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception. The Lakers have preferred to enter previous seasons with only 14 players on their roster for flexibility in trades and on the buyout market. Gary Trent Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie are two names to watch for if the Lakers clear enough space to use their taxpayer midlevel exception, according to league sources.”

LeBron, 39, averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks for the Lakers in 2023-24 in 71 games while shooting 54.0% from the floor, 41.0% from 3 and 75.0% from the free-throw line.

The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in five games. Denver also beat Los Angeles in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. 

The leading scorer in NBA history, LeBron joined the Lakers in 2018. He and Anthony Davis helped the franchise win the 2020 championship at the Walt Disney World bubble. 

LeBron is a four-time MVP, a four-time Finals MVP and a four-time champion. He’s arguably the best player in NBA history. 

A future first-ballot Hall of Famer, LeBron has career averages of 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers.